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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22363765">To Make You Proud</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViterWrites/pseuds/ViterWrites'>ViterWrites</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Study, Coming of Age, Dealing With Loss, Divergence in Endgame, Drabble, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Five Years Later, Gen, Headcanon, Healing, Implied Sothe x Tormod because it didn't feel right to put the focus on it, M/M, One Shot, Post-Canon, Sothe as King Daein, based on a prompt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 10:42:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,530</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22363765</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViterWrites/pseuds/ViterWrites</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on the prompt: "The timeline in which they gain everything they want, except for the thing they wanted the most."<br/>A drabble about coping with loss, moving on and wanting to fulfill the wishes of the deceased.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ike &amp; Sothe (Fire Emblem), Micaiah &amp; Sothe (Fire Emblem), Sothe &amp; Topuck/Tormod, Sothe/Topuck | Tormod</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>To Make You Proud</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The cathedral of Nevassa stood tall, watching over the city as it has for hundreds of years. But for the first time in the same hundreds of years, it was a pleasant view. The fortress the capital of Daein had always been, the city of high walls and pikes atop, it looked friendlier than ever. Having retained its warrior spirit, it looked welcoming and warm, as colour entered the streets: the flags hung up above the heads, the traders’s stalls filled to the brim with goods from all over the world, windows whole and open. Even the smell of iron, the smell of rust and blood, which seemed to have been in the air for ages, had left the city for good. And he could not have been more happy about it.</p><p>The King of Daein. Is that what they called him now, huh? How did his life go the direction it did, from an orphan to the leader of a kingdom. From a boy whose life meant nothing to the one making the most important decisions. Still, it didn’t feel real. Over the years he’d changed drastically, barely resembling the fourteen-year-old stowaway on Nasir’s ship. But he still couldn’t get rid of his old habits, as he continued to sneak away at night, walking all around the city, watching and learning. Maybe this was why he was so loved: he knew the life of the poor well and did his best to improve it. </p><p>Watching the city from atop the cathedral was another habit of his. Back in the days of Ashnard, of the occupation, he could always be found here, as he’d climb up this tower once every day. It was hard to imagine it being as structurally solid as it was that day: earlier it was crumbling, always on the edge of falling apart and killing dozens. Now that it was restored, it still remained closed to the public for undisclosed reasons: but some people sweared they saw the green scarf in its window. He was glad there weren’t enough people who could say that.</p><p>Changing his habits was hard, but it wasn’t like he needed to. And he wouldn’t. Wouldn’t even think of it, especially on.. this day.</p><p>The sound of footsteps from behind. His hand on the dagger as usual, he swiftly turned around, startling the one who came to see him. And making him chuckle.</p><p>“Still at it, Your Majesty? You are not in any danger with us around.”<br/>
“Tormod, I said many times you don’t have to call me that. In fact, you shouldn’t.”<br/>
“As you wish, Your Majesty,” the mage replied with a grin. “It’s too fun to tease you with it, so don’t expect me to drop it anytime soon.”<br/>
Sothe could only sigh, though smiling. “The more things change, the more they stay the same, aren’t they?”<br/>
“Very much so. Now, c’mere,” Tormod embraced him to no resistance. As much as he would deny it in his younger days, the mage’s hugs were always the nicest. Maybe it was because of the fire magic he wielded, maybe it was due to him being raised by Muarim, maybe it was due to their mutual feelings - it didn’t matter. They were nice and that’s all he could have ever asked for.<br/>
After a minute or two, he pulled away, much to Sothe’s dismay. Maybe it was the warmth after all. Ah well.<br/>
“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” the mage asked, worried. The other smiled sadly.<br/>
“I’ve been doing this or five years, Tormod, I’ll be fine. And, even if it’s… not easy, it’s the least I could do. Remembrance is all I can give, so my own feelings aren’t important,” Tormod frowned. “Heh, I’ve got too soft, it seems. It’s just one day. I’ll be good.”<br/>
“As you say. I’ll be nearby, so if anything goes wrong, please,” he emphasized that word, “please leave the ceremony. There are enough people who can handle it better than you and they are more than fit to finish it on their own.”<br/>
“All right. Thank you, mama hen,” Tormod rolled his eyes. “No, really, thank you. Don’t know what could’ve happened if you weren’t watching over me.”<br/>
“If I’m frank, me neither. But that’s not a topic for now,” he replied. “If you’re ready, everyone’s waiting.”<br/>
“Then let’s go.”</p><p>The Cathedral of Nevassa stood tall, watching over the city as it has for hundreds of years. And for the fifth time since Daein’s liberation, it became a place, where most, if not all citizens gathered. A crowd that filled the square and the nearby steets, quiet, eyes trained on the lancets and the small balcony, which could only fit one or two people on it. And when the King came out, accompanied by a humble priest, dressed similarly to how she did back then, there were no cheers or noise at all. Not because they hated him. But because all knew the grief of that aay. </p><p>If there was one thing Sothe could be comforted with, it was that he didn’t mourn alone. Even thought it had been five years, the wound still hurt and he still felt he could fall apart any minute. And if he wasn’t doing this for everyone else, every year on the same day, he might not have even left the spire. And so, he began.</p><p>“Hear me, people of Daein, citizens of Nevassa, townsfolk and villagers, hear me those who hail from afar. Today marks five years since the fateful day in the Tower of Guidance, since the day the goddess was given peace and a bitter conflict was over. Today marks five years since the day we lost the one who freed us and gave us purpose, restored our realm and our integrity. Today marks five years since we lost the Silver-Haired Maiden, five years since we lost our Maiden of Dawn, our Maiden of Hope and our Maiden of Future. Today marks five years since we lost the one we owe everything to, from our freedom to our lives. And today is the day we remember her.</p><p>Today is the day we talk of her undertakings and her achievements, of what she’s done for Nevassa and for Daein, for Crimea and for Begnion, for laguz and beorc, for Tellius as a whole. Today, as on every day, we cherish her miracles and her heroism, we share our memories of her in the fields and in the corridors. And today we walk the streets of her beloved city with her name on our lips, as we carry it to each corner of this city she had once hid in and each house whose dwellers she saved. Today we march in memory of Micaiah, the Silver-Haired Maiden. And today we pay off just a tiny part of the endless debt Tellius owes to Her. My people, the ceremony is about to start. Thank you.” </p><p>With that, he turned around and headed back in. Laura was more than capable to taking care of things from that point on - she had, after all, also been doing this for five years. It was her job and her duty to stay on that balcony and coordinate the masses, while his duty as the King was to lead. And he did.</p><p>With the Dawn Brigade by his side, all those who fought with him at his side, all those that remember the Maiden behind, they walked the streets and boulevards, passed through the squares and plazas. Tormod was right on his left, Nolan on his right, everyone else just by. In that moment, Sothe knew he would never fully accept her death. He knew that he could never fully move on from losing someone this dear to him. And this day, when it came around, was always a good reminder of that.</p><p>But he also knew that she’d rather he forget her and move along with his life, for his and everyone’s sake. Above all, she wanted him to be happy. She wanted the people of Daein to be happy.<br/>
Once upon a time, he would say that all he wanted was to know she is alive and well, to protect her life with his own. He failed at that task. And now all he wanted was to make her proud. To be happy, as she wanted him to be, and to improve the lives of his subjects.<br/>
And if there had to be one day where he could allow himself to fall back, to grieve and mourn, it would be the anniversary of her death. One day of vulnerability in exchange for a year ahead. It wasn’t much time, but it was all he had. </p><p>And it was enough.</p><p>***</p><p>All the while, there was a figure, watching the ceremony from an alley with a warm smile. “You’ve grown up, Sothe. Changed. All of us did, but you - most of all, whether you wish to believe it or not. You’ve done well so far - and so you will,” having said that quietly, they turned around and headed back, deeper into the city, as the worn and patched-up red cape disappeared in the shadows.</p>
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